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The same process applies for both plantain and banana
farm. Plantain farming is a highly profitable business venture. The amazing thing
about this fruit is you do the planting once and earn income for years.

The plant contains low sugar, starch and produces suckers
that grow into other plantain trees. Predominantly found in tropical regions
the delicious fruit is eaten as a whole meal or snack.

How Plantain
is eaten

Plantain could be eaten raw, boiled, steamed, grilled or
fried. It is the main ingredient in plantain chips or certain Nigerian dishes.

It is also processed into plantain flour and sold in
local markets. There are also huge export potentials for the fruit.

How
to Start a Plantain Farm in Nigeria

Planning

Procure Land

Prepare soil

Purchase suckers

Control weeds

Planning

The most important aspect of the operation is planning.
The planning involves field selection, availability of water, labor
requirements and planting.

Plantain grows in areas with regular rainfall and
moderate climate. It does not grow well in areas of hot humid climates or very
cold regions.

There are many states in Nigeria were you find plantain.
They are found in Lagos, Edo, Cross River and Akwa ibom. Other areas are Ogun
state, Ondo, Osun, Oyo and Ekiti state.

Lagos

Edo

Cross river

Akwa ibom

Ogun state

Ondo

Osun

Oyo

Ekiti state.

Land

The most important aspect of agricultural farming is
procuring land. Farming lands are usually found in barren plots in the
metropolis or rural areas. Ideally farm lands are found outside the urban city
limits.

The land of choice should be fertile, loamy and rich in
organic matter. You could create composite from agricultural waste and organic
fertilizer.

The land should have good drainage system and located in
the tropics. The location should have periods of steady rainfall to achieve
maximum yield.

The first step is to demarcate the portion of land you
wish to farm. An area with rich dense vegetation is ideal for plantain farming.

Once the land is acquired you need to prepare the soil
for the crops. The land is cleared by removing stones, cutting vegetation,
plants and uprooting stumps.

The process could be facilitated through manual or
mechanized machinery. You could save your strength by employing casual labor to
clear and till the land.

Demarcate the portion
of land

Remove dense
vegetation

Clear the land

Removing stones

Uprooting stumps.

Plantain Suckers

Plantain
Suckers

Once the soil is prepared to receive the plants you need
to procure plantain suckers. Plantains grow through the process of propagation.

They grow naturally from rhizomes or suckers planted by
the farmer. There are 3 types of sucker produced by plantain the maidenhead,
water suckers and sword suckers.

Sword suckers consist of a narrow base and are ideal for
propagation. Maidenheads are also used through an intensive process to achieve
results. While the water suckers are not ideal candidates for propagation.

Makes sure you buy the suckers from reputable farmers in
bulk. You could also approach an agricultural research institution for suckers.

The plantain suckers are generally planted 9-10 feet
apart. This is done to accommodate the large fruiting plant and reduce soil
competition.

Types
of Suckers

Maidenhead

Water sucker

Sword sucker

Labor

To prepare the land for planting hire casual workers with
knowledge of farming. There job description includes weeding, tilling the land
and using composite material. Alternately procure mechanized machinery and
prepare the land yourself.

Farm
Maintenance

Once you have planted the suckers you need to maintain
the farm. Irrigation should be periodic and prevent weeds and competitive
vegetation.